granny

granny — noun

1. an informal, affectionate word for a grandmother — someone's parent's mother, us

1.nounA2
Definition

an informal, affectionate word for a grandmother — someone's parent's mother, used especially by children or when talking about family in a warm, familiar way.

Example

Elena visits her granny every Sunday after church.

possessive: her granny

My granny taught me how to bake chocolate cookies when I was little.

Common collocations
  • my granny
  • your granny
  • granny's house
  • visit granny
Synonyms
  • grandma

    equally informal, the most common alternative in American and British English

  • nana

    UK informal term, often used by very young children

  • grandmother

    neutral/formal term; appropriate in all contexts

Grammar Patterns

possessive + granny

Usage Note

Almost always used with a possessive like my, your, his, her, or a name (Granny Helen). Avoid using granny without a possessor in neutral contexts — it sounds oddly distant. Frequently used as a term of address ('Granny, can I have more cake?').

Common Mistakes

I love granny house.
I love my granny's house.
You must use a possessive determiner (my, your, etc.) before 'granny' and an apostrophe -s for possession.
She is a granny of three children.
She is a grandmother of three children.
'Granny' is too informal for describing someone's family role in a factual way.

2. a rude way to refer to an older woman, meant to insult her or make her feel bad

2.nounB2
Definition

a rude way to refer to an older woman, meant to insult her or make her feel bad simply because she is old.

Example

Some teenagers shouted 'granny' at the elderly woman crossing the street.

used as a taunt toward a stranger

The office manager was offended when a new hire referred to her as that old granny behind her back.

indirect derogatory reference behind someone's back

Common collocations
  • old granny
  • stupid granny
  • call someone a granny
Synonyms
  • old hag

    even stronger insult, also targets appearance, not just age

  • old bat

    UK slang insult for an older woman; equally offensive

Grammar Patterns

call someone a granny

you old granny

Usage Note

Strongly offensive in most contexts. Unlike the family sense (sense 1), this use targets strangers or non-family members with the intent to insult. Teachers, parents, and media often warn against using granny this way. The word carries ageist prejudice.

Common Mistakes

Using 'granny' to refer to an unfamiliar older woman neutrally.
Use 'elderly woman' or 'older lady.
The word is only affectionate when talking about your own grandmother; for strangers it is insulting.

granny — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all refer to someone's parent's mother, but they differ sharply in formality and regional use. Granny and grandma are both informal and affectionate, but grandma is the more common choice across American and British English — you hear it in everyday conversation, on TV, and in children's books. Granny feels slightly older-fashioned and more regional; it is popular in British and Australian English but less common in younger American speech. Nana is strongly British and often used by very young children or within specific family traditions. Grandmother is the only fully neutral, formal term — appropriate in official documents, school essays, and polite introductions ('This is my grandmother, Mrs. Chen'). A child might say 'Granny, can we go to the park?' but would write 'My grandmother was born in 1950' in a school report.

granny ↗grandma ↗grandmother ↗nana

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • my old granny
  • visit granny
  • stay at granny's

Etymology

English

Granny is a shortened, affectionate form of grandmother, created by taking the first syllable of grandmother and adding the -y diminutive suffix (the same suffix found in doggy, bunny, and mommy). The word first appeared in English in the mid-1700s as a child's easy-to-say version of grandmother. By the 1800s, it had also developed the broader meaning of 'any old woman,' and by the 1900s, the derogatory use had emerged.